Oluwafunbi Bello 
CEO, NUPRC, Gbenga Komolafe
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has launched a digital portal for its 2025 Licensing Round, targeting $10 billion in investments to expand oil reserves and gas utilisation.
Commission Chief Executive, Gbenga Komolafe unveiled the platform on Monday, offering 50 oil and gas blocks including onshore, shallow water, frontier, and deepwater assets. The two-stage digital bidding process involves qualification and commercial bid rounds.
“At the Commission, we acknowledge that transparency is key to investor confidence,” Komolafe said, noting the 2024 Licensing Round concluded without litigation. Reduced signature bonuses and reprocessed seismic data aim to lower entry barriers and accelerate production timelines.
The initiative seeks to add up to two billion barrels to national reserves over the next decade, delivering an estimated 400,000 barrels per day from fully developed assets. It also emphasises job creation, indigenous participation, and adherence to EITI transparency standards.
Separately, NUPRC reaffirmed commitments to inclusive Niger Delta development, especially for Persons with Disabilities, through workshops and stakeholder engagements. “PWD-inclusive planning is not optional, but a requirement for development projects,” Komolafe said.
The commission’s efforts signal Nigeria’s strategic push to modernise its upstream petroleum sector while ensuring equitable participation and transparency for all stakeholders.
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